TELEMETRY AND COMMAND FRAME ROUTING IN A MULTI-MISSION ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

In a modern ground control network for space communications, secure peer-to-peer TCP/IP network socket connections are typically used to transfer real-time telemetry and command frames between satellite operations centers and remote ground stations. Reliable and timely reconfiguration of data paths for upcoming pass supports becomes rather complex when many spacecraft and ground stations are involved. This paper describes a routing software application that was developed to facilitate switching of telemetry and command data paths between multiple ground stations and spacecraft command and control systems, and to forward telemetry streams to multiple client applications in parallel. Fully automated configuration and monitoring of the data flows is accomplished via a remote control interface that is tied into a pass scheduling system. The software is part of the SatTrack Suite and currently supports multi-mission flight operations, including those of the recently launched THEMIS constellation mission at Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley.